Here is macrovision signal in action.
The year is 1983. In 1983, A San Francisco security company launched. It was called Macrovision. Macrovision was created for Home Video (Prerecorded Betamaxs, VHS, Laserdiscs, DVDs, and Blu-Rays) to prevent viewers from copying it. You rented a Betamax tape from Blockbuster Video and you made a copy on a blank Betamax tape but the screen suddenly scrambles. Well, That's the sign of Macrovision. They are there to prevent you from copying it. Macrovision signal is on the tape itself. If you want to know if the Betamax tape is copy-protected, Here is how! I have the oscilloscope. The signal will appear on the clear pulps part on the scope. It cause the screen to scramble and go crazy. On modern Betamax recorders and on DVD Recorders, It just stops the recording and gives you the blue screen of death error that reads: "RECORDING ERROR!: This program is not allowed to be recorded!"
The Cotton Club was the first movie to have a Home Video release to be copy-protection.
A pop up error blue screen of death to appear when a modern Betamax VCR and/or a DVD recorder is detected by the Macrovision signal.
